Is there any kind of Ranking available for selecting the Registrars?

I find interesting that very few people talk about paying a visit to the registrar main office and see for themselves what kind of operation they run, how is their infrastructure, caliber and morale of people, quality of furniture, etc...

I've had a chance to visit a few CB offices. In some of them, I felt I needed a good shower and scrubbing after the visit and hoped I had not contracted any rash... ;}. Conversely, in a couple of cases, I was particularly impressed with the office and people.

Some registrars still operate in the 1950's with very little use of technology, almost everything is still on paper. No wonder paperwork gets lost and certificates and answers get delayed...

Others have impressive software applications that provide real-time information about an audit program via portals.

There is tremendous difference between registrars. Pay them a visit!!!! Some will welcome the opportunity to show you their operation. Others will try to convince you that an office is an office is an office and you don't need to see theirs...

I definitely think there are a few things to consider but one thing really comes to mind since I am working for my second registrar. What does employee turnover look like? Employees should include all aspects of the organization including the auditors, operations, and sales. If the employees are unhappy and don't stick around, is that really a good registrar to use for certification?

I really like what Boingo said above about visiting the main office of the registrar. I would even suggest asking the salesperson you are working with, what are some problems with thier company and see what they say. Nobody has ever "interviewed" me about thre registrar I am working for. I think it could really help people to make their decision and feel more comfortable with the decision they make.

I really don't think there is one registrar that is #1 because every company is different in what they are looking for and so many things to concider?

What standard are you certifying to?
Are you looking to certify to mulitple standards?
If so, do you want the same registrar for all standards?
Are you a small company or a large company? (I feel smaller companies fit better with smaller registrars)
Does the registrar have an auditor local to your company?

Every registrar is going to have its strengths and weaknesses, just have to figure them out for each registrar you getting quotes from.